Germany news: Berlin hosts digital summit with AI focus
A government-run conference is to look at the uses and dangers of artificial intelligence. This comes as the German and UK defense ministers will discuss expanding AI's role in military cooperation. DW has more.
On November 2, 2026, a two-day digital summit in Berlin focused on enhancing Germany's digital infrastructure, especially in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), kicked off. Minister for Digital Affairs Karsten Wildberger was set to officially open the conference on Monday morning.
Over 1,000 guests, including digital ministers from Europe and Canada, were expected to attend the summit. This year, the primary emphasis would be on the practical applications and safety measures surrounding AI, along with recent advancements in the field.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz had been scheduled to deliver an address in the afternoon and meet with a robot from the German company Neura Robotics. The company specializes in creating robots capable of seeing, hearing, and feeling, with potential applications in both industrial and household settings.
The annual summit, now in its 19th iteration since its inception in 2006, had been canceled in 2021 due to Germany's election year. As the first, chilly week of November began, news reports highlighted the concerning low levels of gas storage, a stark reminder of the heating season's challenges.
Simultaneously, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his UK counterpart Wes Streeting were set to hold discussions on strengthening military cooperation between Germany and the United Kingdom, with AI playing a role in their deliberations.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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